The Bee Gees chalked up a stunning 220million record sales in their career together, but life was not always harmonious between the three siblings, with Barry telling Piers that Maurice, who died in 2003, was often the peace-maker between him and Robin.

Of Robin, he said: “We were always in conflict. Robin was intensely creative and between the two of us, wanted the attention.

“If we didn’t get it we would compete for it. I think we loved each other deeply but I think we competed all the way. Not with anyone else, not with other artists, with each other.”

Despite this tension, Barry remains in awe of the unique sound created by the three brothers performing together. He said:

“You could tell what we’d all eaten, you could tell what we’d all drank, everything about that human essence was there around one microphone. The sharing of the songs, sharing of the performances, knowing when it was really good and it really worked and in a way it was profound what we were doing.”

Barry is now the sole remaining Gibb brother, following the earlier death of his youngest brother Andy in 1988. He told Piers he doesn’t feel without them now, however.

He said: “I’m always reliving it, when I’m on stage they’re still around me. I’m never without them. It’s always ‘What would Robin think?’ or ‘What would Maurice think?’ They are just there. And Andy. It never goes away.”

Barry Gibb appears on ‘Piers Morgan’s Life Stories’ on Friday 3 February at 9pm on ITV.